Nailing block



April 21, 1925.

L. SIMMONS NAILTNG BLOCK Filed Oct. 5, 1922 Patented Apr. 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES LEO SIMMONS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

NAILING BLOCK.

Application filed October 5, 1922. Serial No. 592,510.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEO SIMMONS, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of WVashington, District of Columbia, haveinvented certain new and'useful Improvements in and Relating to NailingBlocks, of which the following is a, specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in nailing blocks; andthe objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood bythose skilled in the art in the light of the following explanations ofthe accompanying drawings illustrating what I now believe to be thepreferred mechanical expression or embodiment of my invention from amongother forms, constructions and bl arrangements within the spirit andscope thereof.

In building construction, difficulties are now encountered because ofthe improper and insufficient anchoring of nailing blocks in the wallsduring the construction of the building. It is a common practice tomerely insert wood blocks in the walls as the bricks or tiles are laidbut as the mortar does not adhere to such blocks, they thereafter becomeloosened and move outwardly from their sockets when ,base or facingboards or moldings are nailed thereto or when attempt is made to refitsuch boards or moldings. These blocks as commonly laid in the wallsordinarily become loosened and consequently permit the boards ormoldings nailed thereto to move away from the surfaces of the walls,pulling the blocks outwardly from their sockets.

Also during building construction, it is exceedingly diflicult to locatesuch nailing blocks, after plaster has been applied to the walls and theblocks are thereby covered. By the methods commonly followed, much timeis wasted by mechanics in endeavoring to locate such blocks because theyare covered by the plaster. I

It is an object of my invention to provide an exceedinglysimple andeconomical nailing block, as an article of manufacture, that embodiesimproved anchoring means by which the block is held fast and securely toits place in the wall and to prevent any outward movement or unduelooseness notwithstanding shrinkage that may take place.

A further object of the invention is to provide a nailing block with anindicator or 10- eating means that will be visible and preferablyaccessible at the exterior of the layer of plaster that covers theblock. 7 WVith these and other objects in View my invention consists incertain novel features of construction, and in combination andarrangements as more fully and particularly set forth and specifiedhereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof: Fig. is aperspective view showing part of a brick wall having nailing blocks ofmy invention anchored therein, one of said blocks constituting a ambblock for window or door frame parts and moldings, and the other a baseboard block, the brick wall being 1partially broken away to show thebase 00 r. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through a plasteredwall showing a nailing block of my invention anchored therein to form abase board block, the base board being partially broken away.

Fig. 3 is a tile partition inhorizontal section showing a nailing blockof my inven tion anchored therein to form a through block to which baseboards, at both faces of the partition, can be nailed.

Fig. 4. is a detail perspective View of one end portion of the baseboard nailing block.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of an end portion of thejamb blockof Fig. 1.

In the drawings, I show a brick wall 1, having a plaster face 2, a, baseboard 3, fitted to said wall against the plaster face 2 and over thefloor in the ordinary or any other suitable manner. The base board 3 issecured by nails or other fastenings driven or forced therethro-ugh intothe wood nailing blocks 6 built into the wall during the constructionthereof.

Each wood nailing block 6 is usually rectangular in shape, although I donot wish to so limit my invention, and can be of any "suitable anddesirable dimensions, and cut from any suitable lumber. However, I prfer to out these blocks from any kind of cheap or waste lumber.According to my invention, a metal cap, preferably composed of sheetmetal, is anchored to an end of the block to provide the block withanchoring shoulders, flanges or projections 7 projecting laterally fromthe block end.

As the wall is being built up, the blocks 6 are set on a course ofbricks to bring the blocks at the desired elevation above the floor sothat when the next course of bricks is laid,the blocks will be anchoredand in; cluded therein with bricks fitting the longitudinal faces ofeach block and located in front of the anchoring flanges, i. e., be

tween said flanges and the outer vertical ing flanges, is also. anchoredto the block to prevent looseningor separation of the block and anchor,even should the block shrink, warp or split.

In the example illustrated, a pair of opposite, slide ways or grooves 8are formed throughout the length of the block in its opposite sides andat their ends opening through theend' faces/ These grooves, in depth ortransversely, converge toward the adjacent end face of the block, i. e.,the grooves are inclined inwardly and toward the end face of the blockthat is to be covered by the cap. The grooves are preferably formedbysaw cuts or kerfs and can be formed throughout the length of a piece oflumber that is to be cut up to. form the blocks 6, by a pair ofangularly arranged rotarysaws. a H

Theseopposite converging grooves 8 form socketsinwhich the ends of themetal cap can be anchored. In the example shown, this cap is composed ofa strip of sheet metal of the proper strength, struck up to form theintermediate flat straight body or plate 7, covering the end face of theblock and projecting laterally therefrom. The ends of the sheet metalare then doubled back onto the front face ofthe projecting ends oftheplate 7 to form the strong stiff anchoring flanges 7 The opposite endportions 7? are then extended forwardly in approximateparallelism, fromthe bases of the flanges 7, to fit theopposite longitudinal side facesof the block intervening between the sockets 8 and the adjacent endfaceof the block.

' The extremities of the sheet metal strip, extend inwardly andrearwardly to form the inclined rearwardly converging cap anchoring endsor flanges 7, fitting and anchored in the grooves 8, and thereby not.only bracing'the flanges 7, but also firmly securing and anchoring thecap to the block.

The cap can he slipped laterally onto the block, inserting the flanges 8endwise into the ends of the grooves 8 and forcing the block laterallyintothe cap with saidflanges sliding longitudinally in said grooves.

In fact, in manufacturing the blocks in quantities for the market, it isproposed, to cut. the grooves 8 throughout the length of a piece oflumber, and form a sheet metal cap equal in length to the piece oflumber and apply the same to the lumber, and then cut the piece oflumber and the cap thereon, to forma series of capped blocks.

The nailing block of my invention, can also be utilized as a jamb block,see 6, Figs. 1 and 5, to be anchored in a wall at a window or dooropening, with a side and an end face exposed to receive nails securingwindow or door frame parts and trim or molding. Where thus used, theblocks will be anchored, as hereinbefore described,,by

the lateral flanges 7 of the metal cap, against 7;

movement in one direction. To anchor the block against movement in adirection lon: gitudinally of the flanges 7 the metal cap can be formedat one end With alateral anchoring lip or flange 7 There base boards areto be secured to both side faces of a partition, such as tile partition1, Fig. 3, so-called through blocks can be employed, extendingcompletely through the partition to receive base i board securing nailsin both ends.

Such through blocks can be constructed in accordance with my invention,see 6 Fig. 3, by placing the metal caps hereinbefore described on bothends of the block to i provide said block 6 with the anchoring flanges7. at both ends. The flanges 7 will overlie-the outer side faces of thepartition .1, and hence one set of flanges will'hold the block againstlongitudinal move-mentin one direction, and the other set of, flangesagainst movement in the opposite direction.

Both ends of the throughblocks 6 are preferably provided with thehereinafter described locating indicators 9, and the nails securing thebase boards will be driven into the blocks 6" through, the thin sheetmetal caps.

Under present building methods, difiiculties are encountered and time iswastedin locating the nailing blocks after walls have been plastered,preparatory to placing "and securing base boards. To avoidtheseidifliculties, I have provided the blocks with means that will. bevisible at the exterior of the plaster and thereby at once locate thepositions of such blocks, For instance, in the example shown, I show acomparatively long free end length of string, tWine,.wire, or the like9, at one end secured to the outer or front end of the block .6, by. anail, staple, brad, or the like 10, driven into theblock :end. Theblocks are provided with these indicators before being placed on themarket, or used. When the plaster 2. is applied to the wall and over thefront or outer ends of the blocks 6, the indicator or locating lengths 9can be held or manipulated, if that be necessary, so as to extend to andbe visible at the exterior of theplaster, and thus clearly indicate thelocation of the hidden blocks 6, to the mechanics when fitting the baseboards and nailing the same to the blocks.

It is evident that various changes, modifications, and variations mightbe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exactdisclosures hereof.

What I claim is:

1. A nailing block provided with a metal cap providing oppositelyprojecting lateral block anchoring flanges and having an anchoringextension arranged at corresponding ends of and transversely withrespect to the flanges and projecting laterally therefrom approximatelyparallel with a side face of the block.

2. A nailing block provided with anchoring flanges arranged transverselyand longitudinally with respect to the blocks to hold the block againstmovement longitudinally of the wall and also against movementtransversely of the wall, whereby said block can be employed as a jambblock.

3. A nailing block having transverse grooves across opposite sides, incombination with a metal end cap formed to fit the inner end of theblock and to project laterally beyond side faces of the block to anchorthe block in a wall against outward movement, said cap formed to slideonto the block transversely thereof and having projecting tongues toenter said grooves and interlock the cap with the block and therebyprevent outward movement of the block with respect to the cap.

4;. Means for anchoring a nailing block in a wall against outwardmovement, consisting of a metal cap formed with a pair of oppositeprojecting block anchoring ends, and having opposite side flanges to fitopposite side faces of the block, said flanges formed with inturnedconverging tongues constructed and arranged to anchor in grooves inopposite sides of the block to thereby lock the block to the cap againstoutward movement of the block with respect to the cap.

Signed at Washington, D. C. this 4th day LEO SIMMONS.

of October 1922.

